Not quite two years ago, I looked at the unisex Squak Alpha UL.
I found a warm and light garment that fits into a niche use for how Joan and I use this type of garment.
I also found that, like many “unisex” garments, it did not fit well compared to more fitted clothes.
I am not as enamored with Alpha fleece for my hiking style. Wind shirts make me too warm, and the Alpha fleece, by itself, is too delicate for the hiking I often do on the Colorado Plateau.
Joan finds her Alpha fleece works best in the mountains in more open terrain and is for static use. If we did more traditional trails vs. backpacking, we do, and we might find more on overall use.
With all that background, I tried version two of Squak’s Alpha over the early winter months while backpacking in open environments, Big Bend National Park in particular.

In Big Bend NP
The boring stats – It’s made of 90 gsm Alpha fleece for 5.1oz / 145g Men’s Large; size up for a looser fit.
In more detail and what I wrote previously –
Alpha Fleece
However, a newer fleece-like fabric has become increasingly popular since its introduction in 2017 – Polartec Alpha Direct.
A successor to a similar design in 2012 for the US military, it’s a highly breathable, quick-drying, very low-bulk, and fast-wicking garment with an outstanding warmth-to-weight ratio. It is NOT wind resistant but works exceptionally well under a shell, whether a windshirt or a rain jacket.

Squak Mountain Alpha UL Fleece v1.0 next to their grid fleece hoodie.

Alpha Direct Types | |||
GSM Type | Weight for a medium, approx. | Rough Traditional Fleece Equivalent Use | Notes |
190gsm | 9.5 oz / 270g | 300 wt | Heaviest and most durable, less breathable |
120gsm | 8 oz / 227g | 200 wt | Comparable in weight to a grid fleece but warmer and more breathable |
90gsm | 5 oz / 156g | 100 wt | Not quite as warm as above, more breathable, somewhat less durable |
60gsm | 4 oz / 113g | Heavy thermal top | The lightest but also the least warm and wind resistant. Least durable. |

From Smithsonian
How does version two stack up? And does it make you change your mind?
I find the v2 fits better with a less boxy fit. Otherwise, the same observations seem to hold from version 1.0 –
While others seem more enamored of it, I find it a niche use for my needs.
Just wearing it around town and not beating on it to see for its initial fit put some holes in it –
I can’t imagine using it while actively hiking, especially without a windshirt. I am unsure of its longer-term viability to use year after year if I were to use it extensively
Paired with a thin microgrid fleece for active use and eschewing my puffy for moderate temperatures, I have a sub-12oz/340 g system that works well enough in camp or while sleeping.
As with Joan, I suspect my primary use will be for mountain use in the summer or similar.
Overall, I like the garment as a helpful tool, but I don’t think it’s the “end-all and be-all” clothing many people seem to make of it, especially for my use.
Disclosure – Squak provided a discount for my purchase.
It’s worth mentioning that Alpha is really designed to be part of a layering system rather than a standalone piece. It works best when paired with something like a wind shell or rain jacket, which helps trap heat while still allowing the fabric to breathe.
It might be worth trying it out with a shell to see how it performs for you.
What I wrote in the article concerning windshirts –
I am not as enamored with Alpha fleece for my hiking style. Wind shirts make me too warm, and the Alpha fleece, by itself, is too delicate for the hiking I often do on the Colorado Plateau.
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Many people will pair the Alpha fleece with a wind shell for versatility and light bushwhacking, but you add more weight, add a futz factor, and reduce the breathability.
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You can pair it with a windshirt for more abrasion and wind resistance, but add weight and mitigate the breathability aspects.
Yeah, that makes sense. I’ve found Alpha fleece to be an incredibly lightweight midlayer, particularly for cold-weather hiking or skiing. Its breathability and ability to manage moisture really shine in those conditions, especially when you’re working hard but need to avoid overheating.
I’m surprised to see people wearing it on its own.
I do wear an anorak for ski tours when it is very cold and dry, but otherwise I sweat too much. I do wear alpha fleece under my rain jacket at night, in camp, once it gets cooler. As you probably know, Alpha fleece originally got sandwiched between nylon in a jacket form. I think the way hikers use is more versatile (with or without a windshirt.) I am not just as enamored with Alpha fleece for my use. Again, if I hiked more open trails, did not sweat as much, or even more gentle with my gear, it’d be… Read more »